Work space environments have long consisted of executive offices, which typically are at the perimeter of the office space, with the interior of the space, typically having secretarial and staff stations. Other types of work spaces often comprise large open areas filled with cubicles, typically in rigid and even rows. There are also work spaces that comprise a small space where groups of individuals work together on projects, and, therefore, require both individual work-spaces and a combined environment for meetings and group project spaces. Further, work spaces can be defined in schools, including universities, colleges, and public schools (elementary and secondary levels) as well as libraries and meeting rooms (such as government office and legislative arenas, for example the meeting place of a congress or other legislature). It will be understood by persons having skill in the art that the use, herein, of terms such as office space and work space are meant only to simplify the present text and should not be seen or effected, as a limitation on the broad scope of the present invention. Terms such as office space, work space, work stations, cubicles (as well as collections of cubicles) and other terms that describe places and equipment used to permit groups of people to work together, are herein interchangeable and not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.
In the past, rigid forms of work spaces provided for a work space design, which while it could encompass all of the above styles, typically encompassed only one and the one chosen was built in a permanent and fixed manner. Remodeling of such spaces generally requires the tearing down of the former space and the construction of a new environment, using workmen such as carpenters, electricians, furniture installers, data technicians, voice technicians, plumbers and other tradesmen and requiring considerable time and expense.
Equipment used in prior art office space set ups typically requires that cords, cables and other wires and/or communications means, be hand fed, head first, through such elements as cubical walls, moldings and office equipment, as well as through building walls, ceilings and floors, so that power and data can be fed from the point of power and data entry to desired portions of work stations. Often times these cables must be fed repeatedly through multiple points in each of the above noted barriers. In order to set-up these work stations of the prior art, cables and cords must be fed or fished throughout equipment and devices, somewhat like the process of sewing where a thread must be interwoven by a needle within the fabric. In order to remodel work space, the cords must be removed in a procedure akin to ripping seems. Generally, cords and cables are destroyed and/or the work-station disassembly can far exceed the costs of purchase of new systems (particularly when the cost of assembly, using the threading or fishing process, can be so costly).
Often times an office will begin with one or two partners, or associates, forming a company with a project in mind or a profession to be practiced. Secretarial and clerical staff may be initially chosen in small efficient numbers to accommodate the new business. As the business grows and matures into a working concern, the number of staff and executives will change. The initially set up office or work space must be remodeled to accommodate the changes or the new workers will suffer from lack of individual work space, desks and, generally, room within their respective spaces. Remodeling is often neglected due to the difficulties, as explained above, of breaking down the old office, cubicle set up or work space and setting up the new space. Further, setting up new space, in the prior art, requires the ability to visualize the office or work space, as it will be when remodeling is done, before proceeding. Once a plan is in motion, and equipment has been ordered, it is very difficult to modify a design in prior art systems. Further, the initial vision of the space and the reality of its dimensions are often skewed and the plan becomes unworkable or must be drastically modified at great cost and waste.
Occurrences of employees leaving, either in layoffs or in other moral lowering experience or in expansions of firms that do not have space for new employees are somewhat common. This is a general truism because business is not static; it typically grows or retracts. Typically such occurrences lead to a diminution in work product and efficiency until such time as the office, or work space, is remodeled to accommodate current needs and, if foresight is used, the potential growth (or retraction) of the company. It has happened, however, that a company that has thought itself likely to continue growing, finds its products or services in lesser demand and instead matures into a smaller sized company, downsizing as it grows. As a result, the large or remodeled office, or work space, often times becomes a hindrance to efficient communication and work between remaining employees. Further, the empty rooms and cubicles are constant reminders to remaining employees and partners (or associates) that the long-term plan of the company has failed and that the company, as well as their job, might be in jeopardy. Such reminders are destructive to moral and are often self-fulfilling prophecies of employees leaving, as in such situations valued employees begin to look for opportunities in other locations. Further, when a company moves from one location to another it is often the case that the office set up will be left behind as the costs and time of disassembling, moving and reassembling prior art set ups is typically more than the purchase and assembly of new equipment.
It would be desirable to have office, or work space, set ups that can easily be changed to accommodate the growth or retraction of the company. It would be desirable to have space, and the furniture and fixtures within it that could change with the needs of the company even on a day-to-day basis. Further, it would be desirable to have an office set up that could be packed away and moved to a new location, at a savings in cost and time, when a company moves to new space. Such changes, which would not require the complete disassembly and removal of components, cords and equipment, would cut the costs of remodeling and allow firms and work places to add or remove elements of work areas to make work easier, more pleasant and forward looking.